Listen to Him!

It’s not always easy resolving to “Pay Careful Attention” as we saw with our first New Year Resolution from the Book of Hebrews. Beyond the distractions of pleasure, curiosity, or fear, sometimes the instructions or the Word of guidance are just tough to swallow. Take this one for example.

Mark 8:34 Then Jesus called the crowd to Him along with His disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be My disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow Me. 35 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for Me and for the gospel will save it.

36 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? 37 Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?

38 If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in His Father’s glory with the holy angels.”

9:1 And He said to them, “Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see that the kingdom of God has come with power.”

Yes, Jesus gives us all the good reasons to follow Him. But sometimes the lessons are tough… like lose your life. And then to make matters worse, we can make our foolishness into a Do-it-Yourself project. Such was the case with Peter. He was brought along in the company of Jesus, paying close attention, but then it happened: Jesus was transfigured.

Mark 9:2 After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with Him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There He was transfigured before them.

3 His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them.

4 And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus.

5 Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters– one for You, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” 6 (He did not know what to say, they were so frightened.)

7 Then a cloud appeared and covered them, and a voice came from the cloud: “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to Him!”